E.R. RAMACHANDRAN writes: Cricket fans in Calcutta, aided and abetted by the Bengali television channels and television channels run by Bengalis, have started beating their Bengali breasts over the non-inclusion of the uncrowned prince of the Marxist republic, Saurav Ganguly, in the one-day team for the tri-series in Australia.

It’s only a matter of time before the Gang of Four—Brinda Karat, Somnath Chatterjee, Pranab Mukherjee and Mamta Bannerji—abandon all their concern for the salt of the earth in “Nondigrom” and Singur, and start armtwisting Sharad Pawar and take it all the way up to Sonia Gandhi if need be, to bring back Dada.

Till that mission is accomplished, the TV channels that are teeming with Bengalis will update Ganguly’s career statistics by the minute, hour and second so that nobody forgets the grave injustice that has been done to a brave son of the Bengali soil.

What a shame!

Rahul Dravid has won more matches singlehandedly than anybody in Indian cricket till date and that includes even Sachin Tendulkar. The HAL II Stage Wall played a big hand in each of India’s 10 victories abroad since 2000. In 17 innings, he has 1,248 runs at an average of 83.2, including three hundreds and six 50s.

Yet, who cries for Dravid, who is fitter than Ganguly, has held a phenomenal 165 catches, but who too has been “ignored” from the one-day team despite his stellar role in the Perth win? (Yes, try to remember the 93 in the first innings.)

Sure, Ganguly has had a fine run in the year gone by. As every cricket correspondent who pops up on television points out, it is “one of the greatest comebacks in cricket’s history”. Maybe, but that does that make him an automatic choice when his fitness and fielding is such a lottery?If you want a neutral opinion on Ganguly, it came on the last day in Perth. When Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey were hitting through the covers and point, one commentator said: “That’s Ganguly not moving again! Wonder what is he doing there standing in the covers instead of being somewhere at fine leg! The captain should ensure he has a fitter and committed person there.”

This came from Wasim Akram. The next ball, Ishant Sharma who had just finished bowling an over, dived and saved a certain four. The following ball, Dravid dived and saved another four at gully.

Since Indian cricket is not just about cricket, l’affaire Ganguly will burn the airwaves for a couple of days, while Navjot Sidhu‘s open challenge to Dilip Vengsarkar to justify Ganguly’s exclusion is telecast ad nauseam. But is this how we reduce a great game to a silly street battle?

ERR, if you are looking for some symathy for Dravid from Kannadiga’s then keep looking! Dravid needs to care about Karnataka and Kannada, for us to care about him. That is not the case with Ganguly who will say he is a proud Bengali, Dravid is one of those confused (St. Joseph’s, Bishop Cotton’s educated or not) individuals who washes his you know what in Thames, goes home and eats the disgusting sabudana kichdi.

Whether he should play ODIs is debatable, but my Kannadiga soul ain’t crying for this ghavti.

“That is not the case with Ganguly who will say he is a proud Bengali, Dravid is one of those confused (St. Joseph’s, Bishop Cotton’s educated or not) individuals who washes his you know what in Thames, goes home and eats the disgusting sabudana kichdi.”

Show some respect man. The guy deserves it. Besides in a country as diverse as ours opinions as extreme as this are better not expressed.

” That is not the case with Ganguly who will say he is a proud Bengali, Dravid is one of those confused (St. Joseph’s, Bishop Cotton’s educated or not) individuals who washes his you know what in Thames, goes home and eats the disgusting sabudana kichdi.”

morons of nth order!!! you people are no better than those few senseless bongs who are blocking trains so that Ganguly gets into the team.

A great article…There is no doubt that Dravid has won us more matches than Ganguly and in Australian condition , Dravid deserves a chance than Ganguly.But I am shocked by some comments here who doesn’t know ABCD of cricket . Rahul is a proud kannadiga and its our duty to back him during this crisis instead of commenting on his roots

That is pure South Indian sentiments. The list is long: R Mohan, Rajan Bala..and so many other pride men. Dravid is a great player in Test cricket, and the weakest captain India has ever had.
Even when he was captaining, the South Army was cheering him on. It is sad even when Dada is batting with the form of his life, he was dumped.
By the way, I am also from South…. Give the devil its due.

If you let all and sundry talk about cricket, this is what is going to happen. Com’n people, he is our own. And people not protesting??…due our own nature as in…hogli bidu namagenu…until their own hindware is on fire.

The biggest curse for Karnataka is the attitude of our own people. When a Marati speaking Bangalorean (who also speaks good Kannada) is to be supported, people start researching what he speaks at home, what his uncle speaks, whether his pet understands what the maid speaks, et al. And when a Kannadiga does Karnataka proud, people start talking about his caste. On that count, people here will not support Robin Uthappa as well.

And those who say he is unfit for One-day games please enjoy watching the game and do not strain your brains to make any judgements. The results in the games to come will show why Rahul Dravid was required. Mohinder Amarnath, some two decades back had said the BCCI selectors are a ‘bunch of jokers’. And till date, they have not disappointed him. Apart from Vengs, no other idiot in that Committee has the caliber to make decisions on the likes of RD, SG and VVS. (Who are the other Committee members? Venkatapathi Raju, …..)

i am sad that dravid was dropped, not because i am as confused a kannadiga as him (i am), but because he is, was, and will arguably be the best test batsman that india ever produced. overall test statistics/averages alone will likely demonstrate this (i might be missing a name or two who have a higher average), but if not, a good comparison of fourth innings scores should do it.

like gavaskar, dravid never fit the odi profile, but with due credit to gavaskar (the fact that odis were not as prevalent then worked against gavaskar), dravid worked harder at one dayers, and was better at them, than gavaskar ever was.

having said all that, i would not write either dravid or ganguly off the odi team just yet. let’s wait and see. it is shameful that – because of his supporters – ganguly stands a better chance of recall than dravid does (even if they were to make the same kind of scores in domestic cricket or in tests). selection must be based on performances not support.

while i am on my soapbox, i might as well give kudos to pathan. this is a player i have been wanting in the side (at least test, if not odis) since he first got picked and dropped (the latest time after he scored a test century, no less). on the strength of his batting alone, he is worth his place in the team. he held the team together in the perth test’s second innings; only two of our four great batsmen scored more than him in the first innings, and only one out of four in the second innings! does anyone remember that in the south africa tour match where ganguly scored an 80something on the basis of which he was recalled, pathan had scored a century? it is ironic that his bowling detracted from his batting. if i were a selector, i would groom pathan for the #3 spot in tests after dravid.

– s.b.

p.s.: “Bucknor himself said that he would like to continue for another year, if his contract is extended in March, but no more.”

more welcome news was never heard! that (article) reminds me, i am so glad we’ve someone like gavaskar who does not flinch from calling a spade a spade, conflict of interest be damned.

I am a great supporter of Dravid but on current form and seeing how slow he was in the first 2 tests (even by test standards), I think it would be a tough case to make for including him. In Ganguly’s case the argument could be made either way.

However what is not so good is the timing of the team announcement for the ODIs. How many times have we seen the selectors announce teams for forthcoming matches right in the middle of a series or in some cases in the middle of a test? Coming just after the Perth victory, this could be demoralising, our claims about the cricketers being professionals not withstanding. They could announce a core test and ODI team in advance and leave room for a few spots based on form or injuries, instead of hurting the team’s and their own cause.

Ganguly and Laxman should have been included in place of Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma. They have as many as 5 people fighting for 2 (6,7) spots now. (Karthik, Pathan, Uthappa being the other 3.) Ganguly could have been used as a reserve opener and Laxman at no. 5.

Dravid in the ODI team? Come on guys! He is struggling even in the tests. One innings (93) cannot hide his hopeless batting since the first part of the England tour.

Rahul Dravid is the best batsman India has produced, slightly better than Gundappa Vishwanath, much better than Sachin Tendulkar and way better than Sunil Gavaskar. He didn’t get the break that Tendulkar got nor the longevity and kind of support from the Bombay lobby that Gavaskar enjoyed. Sure our Gundappa pushed him when he was chairman of the selection committee, but then Dravid deserved to be in the team when that joker Kambli made his debut.

Bangalore, for that matter, Karnataka does not care about Dravid because Dravid does not care about Bangalore, leave alone Karnataka. Remember how did he contribute in adopting a Cobra in Bannerghatta National Park not long ago. In what way Dravid is a Kannadiga (and Sunil Joshi too), who has never been seen uttering a single Kannada word at any time or speaking or expressing his concern about the problems and development of the state. Our former President, Dr. Kalam is a true Kannadiga, who showed the path of development of the state in the Vidhana Soudha.

Even Dravid got some runs in 2nd and thrid test its is very clear for people who saw the match live that he is stugling to hit part time spinners and got out eventually big digging himself in the hole in perth at the end of 1st Day.

Lets agree is is not in clear touch !

Gangully on the other hand a pathetic fileder, but he got runs last year and got some match winning starts.

Even though the decision of non inclusion of Ganguly was a great gamble considering Dhoni, Yuvarj are not in great nick and remaining players not even landed in Australia and know the ground condition.

Lets see how our new super fielder like Suresh raina and company save how many in the field and score how many by bat! Mr. raina is clear suspect against quality pace attack !

If form is the yardstick, what is Robin Uthappa’s contribution in this years Ranji trophy ? He was an utter failure and was the sole cause of Karnataka’s failure to qualify. A rooky like Pavan was revelation.

If past performance is the yardstick, Dravid’s 93 in ODI is still one of the best and one of the fastest .

Dhoni and Yuvaraj have failed and are not able to even stay at the wicket.

If vengasrakar say’s he is building the team for the future, what ever happened that great and unlikely star of Twenty20 Joginder ? he has not even got a chance since then !

Kannadigas are not protesting the ommision for a simple reason that Dravid never identified himself as a kannadiga. Even during the Rajyotsava Award ceremony he spoke in English and didn’t utter a single kannada word.

I remember a kannada blog written sometime back when he was removed from captaincy..

i dont know y people just see the offlate performances n comment on the class of Rahul n Ganguly. Rahuls technique s by far the best in the world than any other batsmen. some say he doesnt fit in the scheme of things wen it comes to ODI. but dont forget he was used as a finisher some time earlier n he proved that he was an astute finisher. please dont comment on Rahuls class. last but not the least form s temporary but class s permanent

As a Bengali, I find this article very offensive. I have lived and worked in Bangalore for more than 8 years and consider myself a Bangalorean and have many Kannadiga friends.
I am a great fan an admirer of Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly. Both have contributed immensely to Indian cricket in particular and the game of cricket in general. I also think that it is time for both to hang up their boots and give the youngsters a chance. However, it is the tone of the article that offends me. The writer expresses an element of hatred and disrespect towards Bangalis that I feel runs far deeper than just cricket and does not deserve to be published in a public forum.

If no one is crying for dravid then that shows how he has carried himself. Ganguly’s has led his life like a leader and has impressed every Indian and not just kolkattans. I myself being a Bangalorian is a bigger fan of Ganguly than any one else jus because of the way he carries himself and the way he has led the Indian team in the past. No one cries for Dravid jus because he does not deserved to be cried for, simple as that.
If you cannot impress others. You have no one but yourself to blame for.

If no one is crying for dravid then that shows how he has carried himself. Ganguly has led his life like a leader and has impressed every Indian and not just kolkattans. Thats the reason why ppl go crazy over ganguly’s exclusion. I myself being a Bangalorian is a bigger fan of Ganguly than any one else jus because of the way he carries himself and the way he has led the Indian team in the past. No one cries for Dravid jus because he does not deserve to be cried for, simple as that.
If you cannot impress others. You have no one but yourself to blame.